document.write( "Question 1179670: The vertices of a triangle are P(-6,1), Q(-2,-5) and R(8,1). \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Find the equation of the perpendicular bisector of the side QR. \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Find the slope of the median of the triangle that passes through point R. \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Find the slope of the altitude of the triangle that passes through point Q.
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Algebra.Com's Answer #809255 by Edwin McCravy(20056)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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document.write( "Instead of doing it for you, I will do one exactly like it step-by-step.\r\n" );
document.write( "Use it as a model to solve yours by. Here are the points I'll use instead:

\n" ); document.write( "The vertices of a triangle are P(-8,3), Q(-4,-7) and R(10,3). \r
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\n" ); document.write( "Find the equation of the perpendicular bisector of the side QR.
  \r\n" );
document.write( "That's the green line.\r\n" );
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document.write( "First we find the slope of QR using the slope formula:\r\n" );
document.write( "\"m=%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%2F%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%28%283%29-%28-7%29%29%2F%28%2810%29-%28-4%29%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%283%2B7%29%2F%2810%2B4%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"10%2F14\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"5%2F7\"\r\n" );
document.write( "The perpendicular bisector is perpendicular, and the slope of any line\r\n" );
document.write( "perpendicular to a line with a known slope is found by:\r\n" );
document.write( "1. taking the reciprocal of that known slope.\r\n" );
document.write( "2. giving it the opposite sign.\r\n" );
document.write( "So the slope of the green perpendicular bisector is \"-7%2F5\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "Since it bisects QR we find the midpoint of QR:\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"Midpoint\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%28matrix%281%2C3%2C6%2F2%2C%22%2C%22%2C%28-4%29%2F2%29%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%28matrix%281%2C3%2C3%2C%22%2C%22%2C-2%29%29\" \r\n" );
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document.write( "To find the equation of the line we use the point-slope formula:\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y-y%5B1%5D=m%28x%5E%22%22-x%5B1%5D%29\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\"y-%28-2%29=%28-7%2F5%29%28x-%283%29%5E%22%22%29\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\"y%2B2=%28-7%2F5%29%28x-3%5E%22%22%29\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\"y%2B2=expr%28-7%2F5%29x%2B21%2F5%29\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\"y=expr%28-7%2F5%29x%2B21%2F5-2%29\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\"y=expr%28-7%2F5%29x%2B21%2F5-10%2F5%29\"\r\n" );
document.write( "\"y=expr%28-7%2F5%29x%2B11%2F5%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "
Find the slope of the median of the triangle that passes through point R.
 \r\n" );
document.write( "That's the blue line, Which is the line from R to the midpoint of PQ\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"Midpoint\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%28matrix%281%2C3%2C-12%2F2%2C%22%2C%22%2C%28-4%29%2F2%29%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%28matrix%281%2C3%2C-6%2C%22%2C%22%2C-2%29%29\" \r\n" );
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document.write( "We use the slope formula to find the slope of the line from that point to R.\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"m=%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%2F%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%28%283%29-%28-2%29%29%2F%28%2810%29-%28-6%29%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"%283%2B2%29%2F%2810%2B6%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"5%2F16\"\r\n" );
document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( "Find the slope of the altitude of the triangle that passes through point Q.
That's the red line. (Watch out! This is a trick question!)\r\n" );
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document.write( "Since PR is a horizontal line, the altitude from Q to that line PR is\r\n" );
document.write( "perpendicular to it, which means that it is vertical.  A vertical line has\r\n" );
document.write( "no slope, or sometimes we say the slope is not defined.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Now do your problem exactly the same way using your given points.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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